The invention relates to an optical assembly for a camera, comprising a colour-separation system having an entrance window and at least one exit window, and a solid-state image sensor which is fixed opposite the or each exit window, and which comprises an image-receiving surface accommodated in an envelope.
The invention also relates to a method of manufacturing such an optical assembly.
The image-receiving surface of the solid-state image sensor of an optical assembly as mentioned in the opening paragraph is accommodated in an envelope and often the exact position of the image-receiving surface relative to the envelope is unknown. Consequently, also the position of the image-receiving surface relative to the exit window in question is not known.
To obtain a properly functioning camera for television, film and photographic recordings, it is desirable for the image-receiving surface of the image sensor to be secured to the relevant exit window in this aligned position.
It is an object of the invention to provide an optical assembly for a camera, which enables the image sensor to be previously secured to the relevant exit window in an aligned position, in a simple and accurate manner.
To this end, an optical assembly of the type mentioned in the opening paragraph is characterized in accordance with the invention in that the solid-state image sensor is fixed to the exit window by means of a holder which comprises two holder plates having facing apertures and which are fixed to the exit window and the solid-state image sensor respectively, an elastically deformable element cooperating with and acting between the holder plates, the holder plates being secured in a desired position relative to one another by fixation means. The invention is based on the insight that due to the use of two holder plates and an elastically deformable element which form an integrated entity and, in addition, cooperate with each other so as to enable the two holder plates to be positioned relative to one another, the image sensor can be positioned relative to the exit window and supported during the positioning operation.
From EP-A No. 0231382 which corresponds to U.S. Pat. No. 4,761,685 it is known per se to secure a holder of iron or a similar material to both the image sensor and the relevant exit window, and solder both holders to one another in an aligned position. However, during the positioning of the holders described in the said Application they do not form an integrated entity which supports the image sensor, and cooperation between the holders, enabling them to be positioned relative to each other, is not suggested.